The Spirit of Education

Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell (1894–1978) was a popular American painter and illustrator best known for his depictions of everyday life and positive American values. His first cover for the Saturday Evening Post appeared in 1916, and over three hundred followed during the next forty-seven years. In the early 1960s, he began working for Look magazine, where he turned to more political concerns such as civil rights and space exploration. In 1977, Rockwell received the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal. On the facing page is a Rockwell painting, The Spirit of Education, that was featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post in 1934.

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Norman Rockwell, The Spirit of Education (1934, oil on canvas, 32” x 24”).